Article 85 of the Saudi Civil Status Law
المادة 85 من نظام الأحوال المدنية
As an exception to Article 84, the article lets those sentenced file a grievance before the Board of Grievances against sub-committee decisions imposing a fine, imprisonment or both, within 60 days of notification.
Official text after amendments (Arabic)
Compiled from the original text and every officially published amendment; the amendments are shown in full below for comparison.
استثناء مما نصت عليه المادة (84) يجوز للمحكوم عليهم التظلم من قرارات اللجان الفرعية الصادرة ضدهم بالغرامة أو السجن أو بهما معا، أمام ديوان المظالم خلال ستين يوما من تاريخ إبلاغهم بالقرار.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 85 explained in plain English
This article sets a special route of grievance for a specific kind of civil status sub-committee decision.
The general rule (Article 84): each sub-committee sends a copy of every decision it issues to the Directorate within one week of its issue, and the Directorate and any interested party may appeal the committee's decision before the Civil Status Authority within a period not exceeding sixty days.
The exception in this article:
- Type of decision: sub-committee decisions issued imposing a fine, imprisonment or both.
- Who has the right: those sentenced by these decisions.
- The body: the Board of Grievances, instead of the route in Article (84).
- The period: sixty days counted from the date of notifying them of the decision, not from the date it was issued.
What does this mean in practice? A person against whom a sub-committee has issued a decision punishing him with a fine or imprisonment may file a grievance before the Board of Grievances, and must note that the period is sixty days from his notification. Other sub-committee decisions, such as decisions on correcting entries, remain subject to appeal under Article (84).
The article does not describe the procedures for filing the grievance before the Board of Grievances. It was amended by Royal Decree No. M/25 dated 1/6/1422 AH. Because of the importance of the period, a person against whom a decision imposing a fine or imprisonment has been issued is advised to consult a lawyer specialized in administrative cases without delay.
Practical example
A civil status sub-committee in Abha issued a decision fining Yousef for violating the provisions of the Law, and he was notified of the decision on a certain day. Yousef may file a grievance against this decision before the Board of Grievances within sixty days of the date he was notified of it.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 85 of the Saudi Civil Status Law
Where do I file a grievance against a fine issued by a civil status sub-committee?
The person sentenced may file a grievance against the sub-committee decision imposing a fine, imprisonment or both before the Board of Grievances.
How long do I have to file a grievance with the Board of Grievances against a sub-committee decision?
Sixty days from the date the person sentenced is notified of the decision.
Does the article cover decisions to correct entries?
No. The article is limited to decisions imposing a fine, imprisonment or both, and everything else is subject to what Article (84) provides.
Amendment history
Royal Decree No. M/25 — 1/6/1422 AH
Official amendment text (Arabic)
عدلت هذه المادة بالمرسوم الملكي رقم (م/25) وتاريخ 1 / 6 / 1422 هـ ، لتكون بالنص الآتى:
استثناء مما نصت عليه المادة (84) يجوز للمحكوم عليهم التظلم من قرارات اللجان الفرعية الصادرة ضدهم بالغرامة أو السجن أو بهما معا، أمام ديوان المظالم خلال ستين يوما من تاريخ إبلاغهم بالقرار.
Original text before the amendments (Arabic)
استثناء مما نصت عليه المادة (84) يعتبر قرار اللجنة بالنسبة لتوقيع العقوبات والجزاءات المقررة على مخالفي أحكام هذا النظام نهائيا إذا كان يقضي بالغرامة، وإذا كان بالسجن فللمحكوم عليه حق التظلم أمام ديوان المظالم خلال ثلاثين يوما من تاريخ إبلاغه بقرار اللجنة
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Civil Status Violations and Penalties
- Article 76Amended (1427 AH)
The Article requires reporting the loss or damage of the national ID or family record book within 15 days, sets graded fines by number of times and delay, and exempts losses from fire, accidents, theft and disasters officially established.
إذا فقدت أو تلفت البطاقة الشخصية (بطاقة الهوية الوطنية) أو دفتر العائلة (سجل الأسرة)، فيجب اتخاذ الآتي: 1 - على صاحب المصلحة تبليغ إحدى دوائر الأحوال المدنية خل
- Article 78
The article punishes violators of the Civil Status Law with the penalties set out in the following articles, without prejudice to any harsher penalty under other laws.
مع عدم الإخلال بما تقضي به الأنظمة الأخرى من عقوبات أشد يعاقب مخالفو أحكام هذا النظام بالعقوبات المحددة في المواد التالية.
- Article 79
The article punishes with imprisonment of up to six months and a fine of up to SAR 10,000, or either, anyone who gives incorrect information under the Law or violates Article 73.
يعاقب بالحبس مدة لا تتجاوز ستة أشهر وبغرامة لا تزيد على عشرة آلاف ريال أو بإحدى هاتين العقوبتين: أ - كل من أدلى ببيان غير صحيح من البيانات التي يوجبها تنفيذ هذا
- Article 80
The article sets a fine not exceeding SAR 10,000 for anyone who violates the provisions of Articles 32, 39, 45, 52, 70 and 71 of the Civil Status Law.
يعاقب على مخالفة أحكام المواد (32، 39، 45، 52، 70، 71) بغرامة لا تزيد على عشرة آلاف ريال.
- Article 81
The article sets a fine not exceeding SAR 5,000 for violating the remaining provisions of the Civil Status Law, its Implementing Regulations and the decisions implementing them.
يعاقب على مخالفة الأحكام الأخرى في هذا النظام وأحكام اللائحة التنفيذية والقرارات المنفذة لها بغرامة لا تزيد على خمسة آلاف ريال.
- Article 82Amended (1422 AH)
The article provides for local committees in civil status departments and offices and sub-committees in the regions, formed by decision of the Minister of Interior, and states their members from the Interior, Justice and Health.
أ - تشكل بقرار من وزير الداخلية وبقدر الحاجة لجان محلية في كل إدارة أو مكتب للأحوال المدنية، وتتكون كل لجنة من: 1 - مندوب من إدارة الأحوال المدنية يعينه وزير ال
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.